Winnapaug Pond

{{Short description|Lake in Washington County, Rhode Island, United States}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}} {{Infobox lake | name = Winnapaug Pond | other_name = Brightman Pond | image = Weekapaug Breachway Jetties.JPG | caption = Weekapaug Breachway looking south | image_bathymetry = |pushpin_map=Rhode Island | caption_bathymetry = | location = Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island, United States | coords = {{coord|41.331767|-71.786734|region:US-RI_type:waterbody_source:gnis|display=inline,title}} | type = saline | inflow = | outflow = | catchment = | basin_countries = United States | length = {{convert|2.5|mi|abbr=on}} | width = | area = {{convert|.7439|sqmi|abbr=on}}<ref name="epa2008">{{cite web|url=http://iaspub.epa.gov/tmdl_waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_list_id=&p_au_id=RI0010043E-09&p_state=RI&p_cycle=2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217030132/http://iaspub.epa.gov/tmdl_waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_list_id=&p_au_id=RI0010043E-09&p_state=RI&p_cycle=2008|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 17, 2012|title=National Assessment Database|publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency|accessdate=2009-05-23}}</ref> | depth = | max-depth = | volume = | residence_time = | shore = | elevation = | islands = | sections = | cities = | frozen = }} '''Winnapaug Pond''' (also known as '''Brightman Pond'''<ref name="Coalition">{{cite web|url=http://www.saltpondscoalition.org/winn%20pond.html|title=Winnapaug Pond|publisher=Salt Ponds Coalition|accessdate=2009-05-23}}</ref>) is a breached saltwater lagoon in Westerly, Rhode Island, United States, connected to Block Island Sound by the Weekapaug Breachway, which was constructed during the mid-1950s.<ref name="Council">{{cite web|author=|title=Restore America's Estuaries 4th National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine|year=2008|publisher=Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council|accessdate=2009-05-20|url=http://www.crmc.ri.gov/habitatrestoration/Restore_America_Field_Session_12.pdf}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=South County icons|newspaper=The Providence Journal|accessdate=2009-05-20|url=http://www.projo.com/southkingstown/icons.htm}}</ref> The {{convert|2.5|mi|km|adj=on}} lake is separated from the Atlantic by a large sandbar.<ref>{{cite web|author=|title=Winnapaug Pond|year=2000|publisher=The Columbia Gazetteer of North America|accessdate=2009-05-20|url=http://bartleby.com/69/49/W03749.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=|title=Salt Ponds Region|year=|publisher=Rhode Island Rivers Council|accessdate=2009-05-20|url=http://www.ririvers.org/Watersheds/SaltPondsWatershed.htm}}</ref> The Atlantic side of the sandbar is lined by beaches, including Misquamicut Beach, Atlantic Beach, and Westerly Town Beach. In 2010, its overall water quality was assessed as "good".<ref name="epa2010">{{cite web|url=http://ofmpub.epa.gov/tmdl_waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_au_id=RI0010043E-09&p_cycle=2010&p_state=RI&p_report_type=|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121213041724/http://ofmpub.epa.gov/tmdl_waters10/attains_waterbody.control?p_au_id=RI0010043E-09&p_cycle=2010&p_state=RI&p_report_type=|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 13, 2012|title=2010 Waterbody Report for Winnapaug Pond|accessdate=11 August 2012}}</ref> Winnapaug is relatively small and shallow, and is favorable for kayaking.<ref name="Coalition"/> It is one of nine coastal lagoons, referred to as "salt ponds" by locals, in southern Rhode Island.<ref>{{cite web|author=Donald Wyatt|title=Rhode Island's last execution|year=1995|publisher=FAQs.org|accessdate=2009-05-25|url=http://www.faqs.org/abstracts/General-interest/The-salt-ponds-of-Rhode-Island-They-go-back-a-long-way.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|author=S.W. Nixon and B. A. Buckley|title=Nitrogen Inputs to Rhode Island Coastal Salt – Too Much of a Good Thing|year=2007|publisher=Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management|accessdate=2009-05-25|url=http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/permits/isds/pdfs/spnload.pdf|archive-date=2009-05-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090525091525/http://www.dem.ri.gov/programs/benviron/water/permits/isds/pdfs/spnload.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}} *{{gnis|1217592|Winnapaug Pond}}

Category:Westerly, Rhode Island Category:Saline lakes of the United States Category:Lagoons of Washington County, Rhode Island